Engel der Wache
by Digital Skitty
Summary: A thousand years ago, the Land of Ooo suffered through a terrible war. Thousands died and the world became scarred and hurt beyond measure. Still, one tried to help. Back then, she was just called the Angel.
1. First Crack

"Hey, it's okay."

She swooped down and picked the child up, cradling him in her arms. He began crying in earnest, startling her, but she quickly realized that he had dropped his stuffed toy. She smiled and dove back down, retrieving it for him.

"Shh, it's okay," she soothed, fingers ghosting over the small frame, mending his clothes and fixing the wounds she could. She could alleviate the pain for the rest. Below them and behind them, the ground shook, remains of buildings toppling and crumbling. Most of the screaming was dying out, at last, so at least it was starting to quiet down again.

She put the boy to sleep and pressed him to her breast, glancing fearfully back towards what had once been a city. Now, it was full of shells of buildings, ruined cars, and the slowly dying.

Her heart clenched as she soared over the husks of what had been a lively city. A few survivors, groaning and pleading, reached up for her. "I cannot help all of you!" she cried, a blatant lie. She could have helped any number of them.

Well, she could have moved them. She couldn't have _helped_ them. Their bodies were already rotting, fusing with whatever was nearby, flesh falling off of bones and bodies still moving throughout it all. She knew it had not been the princess' idea to start the magical arms race, but she was still facing the horrors of what it had produced. She pulled the boy tighter against her chest and beat her wings harder. She couldn't get back to the castle fast enough.

-.-.-

Princess Candy had bypassed candy and went straight to bubblegum. She paced back and forth, tearing at her hair, blowing bubbles and chewing furiously. Her guards and attendants watched from the sidelines, hesitant (and fearful, in all honesty) to interrupt her. "—and if it weren't for the Gumball Guardians, _mein gott_, where would we be? This is _not_ the time that I want that stupid Lich breathing down my neck!"

"My lady..."

"_What_?" She whirled around, teeth bared, hair flying, eyes wild. The attendant squeaked and swooned, only caught by his brother.

"I have returned," the Angel said, stepping up in front of the twins. She uncurled her wings and presented the small boy in her arms, still sound asleep. "I have brought another child."

Candy's glare softened, but only by a hair. The Angel smiled up at her, offering the child like a gift. The princess finally sighed and looked back out the window, blowing another bubble. "Angel, we're not running a day care here. You can't keep bringing back strays."

"I just thought... You have so much room in your palace, Princess. And with the royal city protected, I feel as if the children will be safe here."

"They _will_ be, but what will I do with them? I am not their mother, I am their ruler. I _can't_ take care of everyone," she said, voice rising suddenly. The Angel stepped back, wings curling in once more, taken by surprise. The royal attendants hastily started pushing her back towards one of the doors. "My people are out there dying! And for what? A war no one asked for? This isn't _fair—_I can't save everyone!"

"Go, go," the elder twin urged in a low voice, pushing the Angel and the child towards one of the side doors. "She is just having a bad day, don't you worry none. She will be fine. She's just stressed with the Royal Sweet Celebration coming up and that last bombing."

"That's another thing!" Candy shrieked, turning on them once more. "Why am I still holding celebrations when people are dying—?"

"Go," the younger one said in a pained voice and pushed them both out the door.

The Angel sighed and floated down the hallway. The boy in her arms stirred; she pressed the stuffed toy tighter into his arms to try to prevent it. It didn't work. "...Mama?"

"Shh now, I'm not your mama. I'm just an Angel," she murmured and hummed. She glanced back towards the room she'd just departed from, nervous, but determined. She ducked down the rightmost hallway. She shouldn't be down there, but there was no one around. She opened the door on the end and swooped into the pink-themed room.

The young princess looked up, startled. "Why are you here?"

"Can you take him for me?" the Angel asked and set the young child down, making sure his toy was secure in his little arms. "I... don't know what to do with him."

"So you give him to me?" the little girl scoffed, standing up and dusting off her striped dress. "Does mother know you're doing this?"

"It'll be okay. I'll take care of Princess Candy," she soothed and produced a lollipop out of thin air. Both children had their eyes grow wide at the unexpected treat, even the little princess'. The Angel smiled sadly and created another, handing them each one. Even in the castle, such treats were rare? "You take care of him for me."

"He'll probably just be put with the others," Princess Candy Cane said, voice muffled by the sucker in her mouth.

"Can you... visit them some time?"

"Mother doesn't like it when I do."

"I know she doesn't." She sighed and ducked out the door, waving goodbye to the both of them. She knew what she was doing wasn't strictly the best. But what else could she do? So many children were being orphaned and starved. The castle at least had safety, and there were enough children from all parts of Ooo for them not to be lonely, at least.

Well, that was how she let herself sleep at night, at any rate.

The Angel winged down the halls, trying her best to seem like she ought to be there, though it seemed like Princess Candy's anguished cries rang farther than they should have normally. She knew it was hard on the princess; all of the subjects of her kingdom knew that. She was a mother, a young one at that, and she was a mother to her land. And now for all of these terrible tragedies to happen...

"And where are _you_ going?" She jumped, still mid-air, and turned guiltily around. She was incredibly relieved when it turned out just to be the wizard Licorice. "_Just_ me? I'm hurt," he said with a catlike smile.

"Not now, Licorice."

"Why not now? Why in such a rush, Angel?" He sidled up to her and grabbed part of her dress, yanking her down to the ground. She shook her head and beat her wings again, tugging him up into the air with her.

"Princess Candy is distressed, and Marzipan City was just hit last night."

"You sure it's safe to go in there already?" he asked, brows rising underneath his dark red hair. He didn't seem at all bothered that she was carrying him through the castle.

"Not many other creatures can. They're only using crystal power, so I can handle it. Please, Licorice, let me go back. I can still help people."

"Not if those bombs are as nasty as I've been hearing." He hooked his boot around a table, sending both of them sprawling and flipping the table. The glass vase that had been on top of it shattered, sending half-dead flowers and water everywhere. She kicked him away with a frustrated huff, smoothing her skirts, but he offered her one of the flowers. Without a word, it grew green and colorful again, blossoming healthily. "Take me with you."

"_What_?"

"Candy isn't letting the royal wizards out of the castle. We can't help anyone stuck in here, and the Gumball Guardians won't let us teleport out of the city. There are guards everywhere to prevent too many citizens from coming in, and I've already tried sneaking out before," he said with a cheeky grin that she didn't buy.

"You're staying here. What if the princess needs you? You're one of the most powerful wizards in the country."

"And I'm sitting in here, cooling my heels!" He pointed down to his boots, and at his point, they became encased in ice.

"I can use healing magic well enough, and if I'm carrying anyone back, I can't carry you as well."

"I can get back in by myself, don't worry. I just need to get out."

The Angel looked away, debating the merits. He was very talented and he could do some help. But if the princess ever found out, or if they got caught... It was likely _she_ would lose her privileges of going outside the city as well. Or get thrown in the dungeon. Or both. "...Fine. But you're following _my_ rules," she threatened with her best glare.

"Cool, cool. What are they?"

She helped him back up to his feet, looking around once more to make sure there weren't any guards in hearing range. "We can't go into the city itself, it's too dangerous and no one can be saved there. Outskirts only. Stay within my sight, and try not to touch anything steaming or glowing or dangerous looking."

"Deal," Licorice said, thrusting out his hand. She reluctantly shook it. "Alright, sweet Angel, take me out of this place!"

-.-.-

She swooped down low, dropping Licorice near a dirty old house with a crying girl in the yard. The girl seemed fine, though her hair had burned short and her clothes were in rags, most of them scorched. She picked her up, looking her over with a little alarm. "Why are you crying, my child?"

"Hambo got hurt!" the girl replied with a surprising amount of ferocity. She kicked the Angel in the face, causing her to drop her, and scooped up a raggedy pile of fluff and scraps that had no right calling itself any sort of toy.

"Angel, it's _one kid_. Come on, she's fine!" Licorice groaned, gesturing to the still-glowing skyline of the city.

"Here, let me mend that for you," she said, ignoring the wizard. The little girl—definitely not human, but nothing else the Angel knew of, judging on her pale skin tone and small fangs—handed over the Hambo. The Angel looked at it for a long moment. She wasn't a miracle worker.

She magicked on its missing arm and stuffed what fluff she could into a hole in a seam on its head. It looked terribly lopsided. She didn't even know what it was _supposed_ to look like. She sewed up its holes and mended most of the fabric.

"Here you go," she replied uncertainly.

"Thank you," the girl replied, voice polite but distant.

"Would you like me to mend your clothes? Would you like any snacks or food? Are your parents around?"

She looked around her, as if for the first time. The Angel fixed her clothes anyway, just because she couldn't stand to look at the poor thing looking so pathetic. Still, for being so close to the city, she didn't look hurt at all. "I dunno where mom is. Dad is probably—"

"What are you _doing_ to my daughter?" Both the Angel and the wizard gave a violent start when some sort of _beast_ came out of the desiccated house in front of them. Wearing a suit, its head was large and bulbous and pale, mouth far too large and housing far too many sharp teeth. Shedding panicked feathers, she took to the sky again. Licorice caught up with her with a magic-powered bounce.

"Nice going, making a demon mad," he groused.

"How was I supposed to know? The child looked human!" she replied irritably.

"She had blue skin!"

"She could have been a vampire!"

"They're not nice, either!" he burst out, swinging in her arms. She was sorely tempted to drop him, but decided better. They approached the city at a safe altitude. Licorice hung on tight to his hat as they were buffeted by the heat coming off of the buildings. "Holy math, you weren't kidding, Angel."

"We're landing here," she said firmly, tucking her wings in close to prevent any more updrafts from catching them. He swung out of her grip as soon as he could land safely and with a clap, yanked his twisted staff out of wherever he was keeping it. "Don't go too close to where it landed! It's... not pretty down there."

"What's happening?"

She stayed silent, feathers and dress fluttering in the warm breeze.

"Look, I know magic. It's what I do. The more I know about what's going on, the better chance I have of fixing things!" he growled and placed his fists on his hips.

"You're impossible!" she exclaimed, stomping the air. "Fine! I think this one was powered by a Crystal Eye, so expect lots of heat. It's fusing creatures to whatever is nearby, melting them, really. You can't help those ones—I have _tried_. You just can't."

"Anything else?"

"...No. Don't stray too far! And don't get into trouble. Don't go fighting anything."

"But baby, I was _born _for this stuff!" he cried and ran off. The Angel sighed and ran a hand through her white hair. Whatever. He was responsible... sometimes. He was at least talented. She just hoped he didn't get in over his head.

She soared over the city, scanning for survivors. Just a lot of bodies. It seemed as if the ones that had melted were done melting, and most of them were reduced to skeletons. Others stopped halfway, piles of flesh and sludge on sidewalks and in the streets. She didn't dare look inside any buildings.

At one point, she thought she saw something towards the area where it had fallen, but whatever it had been, it would soon be dead. She couldn't even go that close, and the crater itself was still glowing and steaming. She didn't come across any other survivors, however, as she had feared. They were too close to the city itself for there to be any.

"Licorice! Lord Licorice!" she called, cupping her hands over her mouth for the sound to carry farther. She found him a block over, his tunic coated in something dark pink.

"Don't worry! It's not blood." Not the best way to start a conversation. "There was this mutated thing near the limits. I think it threw up on me."

"Are you okay? Does it burn? Sting? Sticky?" She waved her hands over him, but hardly any of it came off.

He gave her a tight smile. "Yeah, it stains, apparently." She frowned; not quite what she had thought. "I think it was just scared, or hurt. It's long gone, whatever it was."

"I haven't found anyone still alive. Have you?"

"No. I think I had seen something downtown at one point, but—Look out!" She was pushed to the ground as a massive, black hand swung down where her head had just been. She rolled over, heart racing, and found a monstrous thing she couldn't readily identify. It appeared to have a skull for a face underneath a headdress adorned with curling horns. "You!" Licorice spat, holding his staff at the ready.

_Do not fight me_, the monster stated, and the air around them grew cold. The wizard faltered.

"Angel, that's the Lich!"

"_What_? He's never been this strong, o-or powerful!" she exclaimed, flapping up into the air, out of its immediate range.

_I have come to feed on the death and the power_, the Lich said tonelessly. It swung at Licorice again, this time catching him and sending him flying. The Angel swooped after him, dodging the following blow with ease. She felt a blast of heat near one wing and turned, shocked, to find the monster's fists burning with flames.

"We have to tell Princess Candy he has grown stronger! Probably with the magic in that blast!" Licorice growled, and then shouted, "Magicus Nomoreicai!" The Lich stumbled in its approach and one fist went out. The wizard growled again and bent his staff, conjuring an arrow to use it as a bow with.

"How can we fight that thing? I-I don't have any offensive magic!" the Angel said in a panic, wings fluttering nearly as rapidly as her heart. She waved her hands over his body as an afterthought, healing his bruises and hardening his skin.

Firing another arrow, Licorice glanced sideways at her. "_You're_ not fighting, you're going to go tell the princess about this!"

"What? And _leave_ you here? I'd rather face the Lich than how mad she'd be at me!"

A blast of fire caught them both, sending them tumbling. She flapped most of the flames out, wincing as she ran her hands over herself to mend her body. She was starting to feel the toll on her magical reserves. Licorice was worse off and she hastily crawled over to him, shielding them both with her wings as she rushed to heal him before the Lich shambled over to them again.

"Stop it, you're only draining yourself on these little wounds!" he admonished with a sharp smile.

She poked the rib sticking out of his chest. He winced and allowed her to heal his burns and the broken bones. "Licorice, we can't fight him."

"And leave him here to eat up the rest of the magical energy floating around? Not a chance!"

"This isn't up for debate! We'll both die if we stay out here and try to fight that thing!" she hissed at him, a long-ignored anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "You are _not_ staying, and you are not dying today, Licorice." She hauled him to his feet with a fierce look. "I am taking you back to the Candy Kingdom and we are both going to explain to the princess what is going on here."

_You think I will let you?_ the Lich asked, nearly sounding polite.

Suddenly, Licorice swung at her with his staff. It caught her in the side, sending her sprawling with a betrayed look. "Licorice—?" He stumbled towards her, movements jerky and eyes blank. She glanced between him and the Lich fearfully, then reached up and pressed both hands into the wizard's chest. She blasted him backwards.

"Ow!" He sat up at once, arms around his chest. He blinked, focus sliding in and out, before staring up at the Angel once more. "He's capable of Hypnosis now. This isn't good."

"I've guessed that, yes!" she snapped, anger frothing in her stomach. She scooped him up in her arms and took to the air, narrowly missing another gust of magical fire. The second one hit them again, just as she felt a tug on her mind. The world shifted in and out with a black one and her wings seemed numb. They hit the ground with a painful thump.

Licorice stood over her again, twisted staff raised. He shook his head, staggering to one side, and eventually hit himself in the face with his own staff to clear his mind. The Angel pressed her palms against her forehead and forcibly cleared her mind, though the blackness creeping in on the edge of her vision told her that that trick wouldn't work for long.

"Angel, you _have_ to tell the princess!" Licorice said in a strangled voice, then pressed his hand on her shoulder. The Lich's arm came down on them just as he shouted, "Razzmafu!"

She found herself cowering, dizzy, and hurt in the throne room, in front of a very surprised Princess Candy.

The first crack came when she whirled around and hissed with a surprising venom, "Licorice is _dead _and the Lich is growing in power and I couldn't help!"

-.-.-

_Author's Note_: Heeeeey there. This is my first foray into Adventure Time fanfiction! So yeah. This will probably be a fairly short story (I'm aiming for four or five chapters) and is mostly an origin story for my favorite character in the Land of Ooo, the Guardian Angel. Since this was set so long ago, obviously this will contain a great many original characters and a lot of speculation on the actual history. I've tried, okay? There's also a lot of guesswork on how the world acted - magic versus technology, human versus other creatures - so that's mostly my own view on things. It's difficult to keep in tune with the silly tone of the cartoon, but I'm trying. Slightly.

(And a quick note - this is sort of the Lich's rise to power as well. He's not as strong here as he is in the canon timeline of Adventure Time.)


	2. Candy Decay

The Angel watched the procession pass by, eyes mostly hidden by her bangs. Princess Candy Cane stood beside her, holding her hand. "I wanna cupcake," she said after what had been a long silence.

The Angel floated one over from one of the floats in the parade, much to their annoyance. She wordlessly passed it to the little princess. The Royal Sweet Celebration had never been so bitter to her. Licorice's death hung over her like a dark cloud, and the reigning Princess had even gone so far as to prevent her from going back for his body. It was cruel and unfair.

"I want another," Princess Candy Cane said with an excited, greedy glint in her eye. The Angel retrieved another for her. "Can I have one with sprinkles?"

"Should you be eating so many sweets?" she asked, speaking at last. The little girl stuffed the cupcake in her mouth childishly. "I thought not..."

"Mother says I shouldn't, but I get hungry. She hasn't been eating lately. She forgets to have meals with me," she said in a subdued tone.

"...You _are_ eating, aren't you?" the Angel had to ask, heart clenching painfully.

"Sometimes," she said evasively.

The Angel picked her up, mouth set in a firm line, that anger and guilt and darkness bubbling up in the depths of her stomach again. She carried her away from the parade, though she threw a fit, and flew her up towards the castle, entering through one of the windows. A couple of the swans honked at her for disturbing their perch on the sill.

"What are we doing? I wanna see the parade!" Candy Cane whined, tugging at her white hair.

"I am fixing you lunch. Where are the nearest kitchens?" She flew down the hallways until she reached one and set the child on the counter. She had never cooked a day in her life, but it couldn't be _that_ hard, right? She made simple food things all the time with her limited knowledge of magic. She rummaged around in the cupboards, flitting from place to place, appalled and scared at how little there was of anything.

"You can just get me some purple things," Candy Cane volunteered, gesturing towards a large glass case with many types of fruit in it.

"Grapes?"

"Whatever."

"You have to eat more than that, my child," the Angel said, but got her a bunch of grapes regardless. She continued looking for something to create as a meal. "...Where are the other children I have brought to you?"

"Mother has given them to Doctor Gummy Worm. She says they'll be taken care of."

"...I see."

To her embarrassment, the best meal she could create was a type of soup. It wasn't even all that great; just whatever she could find and add relatively easy without other preparation. "Chocolate and Caramel always cook it for longer," Candy Cane said as the bowl was set in front of her.

"But then it would have been overcooked."

"They use a smaller flame."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," she said with an indulgent smile, though her heart was not in it. As much as she loved children, when it came down to actually caring for them, sometimes she was blindsided. She couldn't help but wonder if Licorice would have been better. He seemed like the type.

"You're... not a very good cook," the princess said, sticking her tongue out. The Angel crossed her arms and tried not to blush in embarrassment. She had a feeling she failed. "It's not bad, but it's not good. It's sort of... tasteless."

"It tastes fine!"

"Not for a princess."

"W-Well, maybe we should just... Get out of the kitchen. It still smells like a fire in here—I bet that's interfering with your taste." She picked Candy Cane back up and levitated the bowl after her, waltzing out into the dining area. The table was huge, but she seated the princess at one end and sat next to her, not particularly caring about manners right then.

"Now I can see the parade again!"

"Come back here and eat your soup, please."

"Look at all the people!" she said, ignoring her. The Angel was thankful it was one of the windows in the castle with glass, lest she accidentally fall out. "I haven't seen so many citizens in the capital in forever. Or ever, maybe. It seems like half the kingdom is here!"

"It probably is. Lots of people want to come in here and be happy, and see others' happiness." She sighed and tasted the soup herself. It was rather... tasteless. Not like water, a little too salty for that, but just... incredibly bland.

"Because of the war?"

"...Yes."

"Why does there have to be war?" Candy Cane asked with a pout. "I don't see mother anymore, I have to stay cooped up in this castle, and everyone is so angry all the time."

With a sad smile, and, giving up on the flavorless soup, she picked up the princess once more. "Would you like to go back down to the parade? I'll sneak you more candy, if you promise to eat a very good supper tonight."

"Oh! Yes, I promise!" she said eagerly, nodding.

Suddenly, there was a thunderous _boom _outside. The windows were all blown in, showering them both with shards of broken glass, and hot air rushed inside. The Angel dove for the ground, covering them both with her wings, pressing the princess tight against herself. It seemed to be nothing but noise and heat—crashing, crackling, and a faint ringing in her ears.

It was only when outside had gone deathly silent, what felt like years later, that she dared raise her head. The air had a thick, gray haze to it, hanging heavily in the air. Glass lay all around them. The Angel flapped upward, mindful of it, and Princess Candy Cane sucked in a grateful lungful of air. "Wh-What was that?" she squeaked.

"I..." She looked outside, heart sinking. But to her great surprise—and even greater relief—it appeared that she was wrong. It was undoubtedly some sort of explosion, but the damage was not as great as she had feared. Only four or so buildings were leveled, and only a dozen more after that were even severely damaged. Whatever it had been, it had not been on a large scale.

"Mother was out there! _Everyone_ was out there!" Candy Cane squealed, fighting in her arms to get outside. The Angel tightened her hold on her. "Let me go! I have to make sure my mother is okay!"

"It might not be safe out there!"

"All the more reason for us to go! You're a healer, right? Go heal my mother!" she demanded, banging her little fists against the shoulder of her dress.

"I want you to stay in here."

"If you set me down, I'm just going to run outside on my own! And I could get hurt!"

Every moment wasted was even worse than the last; people could be dying out there, people she could save. With a whine, the Angel finally flapped out the broken window and into the gray sky.

Outside, they could both see a better view of the damage. One of the Gumball Guardians was laying on its side, head cracked open and unmoving. The other was struggling and failing to maintain the shield around the city. The Angel circled frantically, trying to spot the other princess' group, with the small princess in her arms getting more and more anxious.

The anger was taken over by apprehension and anxiety. It wasn't an improvement. "There!" She gave a start at the sudden cry. Candy Cane leaned forward in her arms, pointing down at a half-melted parade float, bright pink against the cobblestone, and several bodies laying around it.

"You should go back to the castle," the Angel stammered, flapping in a little circle while she tried to figure out the best place for the princess.

Candy Cane responded by punching her in the stomach and falling out of her arms. With a shriek, the Angel dove down after her, catching her just above the rooftops of the city. "Let me go! I need to see mother!" she cried, biting and fighting furiously.

She slipped out of her arms again and landed lightly on the ground, dress fluttering around her knees. The Angel swooped down in her wake. The damage had already been done. The gray haze was thicker near the ground, pooling in certain areas, giving the area a shadowed, dead look. A couple of citizens stirred with faint moans. She jumped when she saw Chocolate's body, melted and not much more than a dark smear on the pavement. She couldn't see the younger twin.

"How could this have happened...?" she breathed as she looked over the damage. She spotted Caramel, draped over part of the float, bronze skin dripping onto the pavement. She hastened over to him, gently prying him off, alarmed to find that he oozed right out of her arms.

"Huh? Wha...?" To her horror, he was still alive, and evidently, still conscious. "Wh-Where's the princess?" he demanded, struggling to stay upright. The Angel waved over him, hardening his skin again and healing what she could of his rapidly disappearing skeletal structure. She had no idea what was going on with him—it seemed as if his body was bent on becoming a gooey mess, and not because of any leftover heat. It was hardly warmer than a summer's day.

"I don't know. What happened?" She knelt beside him, and to her morbid fascination, he roused himself and even stood on his own legs. He seemed _fine_, if squishier than he had been an hour ago.

"I'm not sure. There was this blast, and next thing I knew, my arms felt real funny and you're lookin' over me." Caramel jumped when he heard a cry of "Mother!" and without so much as a look in Chocolate's direction, hopped up over the float and ran towards the noise.

Princess Candy Cane was leaning over her mother, helping her to sit up. The Angel let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. There was damage, but it was not severe. And, possibly most importantly, they still had their ruler. "Candy Cane... You're alright!"

"Yeah! I was in the castle when—_it_ happened, so I'm fine. Are you okay? Your skin—you're gooey, and..." The little girl drew back with horror. Candy raised her hands up to her face, blinking large eyes at her new pinkish skin tone. It seemed runnier than normal, just like Caramel's, so the Angel flew over to help her keep it on whatever bones she had left.

"Oh, Angel, you're okay, too... And Caramel! Where's Chocolate?"

She shut her eyes and concentrated on trying to heal the princess. Just like Caramel, which meant that it had to have been some side-effect of the blast in the city. It was like... They weren't human anymore. They weren't human or creature or candy. But instead, some sort of mixture of the two, _wrong_ and unstable.

"What's wrong with everyone?" Candy asked in a hushed voice, looking at the other survivors.

"Mother, your hair..." Candy Cane drew away, her hands coated in dark red. "It's not hair anymore. It's sticky."

Candy put her hands up to her hair, but it looked as if it wasn't sticky to her own skin. Caramel reached up and tentatively patted her hair, but that only created a half bronze, half scarlet mess between the two of them. "This is... It's okay," she said suddenly, and stood up so fast she stumbled and swayed. "Candy Cane, you go back to the castle, and stay in there."

"No! I wanna help!" the little girl said at once.

"We don't know what anyone can do _to _help yet, and I want you out of all this smoke and wreckage. Caramel, take her back to the castle and make sure she stays there. See if anyone else was in the castle and is unharmed, and if so, send them out to help. If you see any other royal staff in... similar condition, have them return to the castle as well." She smoothed out her dripping dress and fixed her hair, though it looked like she simply molded it into a helmet. "Angel, you're with me. You're okay too?"

"Yes, princess."

"Were there any other royal wizards still here?"

"N-No, ma'am," Caramel said, trying to corral Candy Cane in the right direction without coating her in what appeared to be his namesake. "Tartly and Lady Mint left last night and they haven't returned yet." The Angel tried her best to ignore the implication of that; they had been the ones sent to retrieve Licorice's body and see if they could track the Lich.

"There are no other wizards or witches in the entire city?"

"No royal ones—"

"I know of someone," the Angel broke in, earning a grateful look from Caramel. Candy crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "She was the Flower Witch when she was younger, but she's retired. She should know some basic healing and moving spells."

"And she's trustworthy?" the princess asked critically.

"One of the more trustworthy witches, yes."

"Fine! We will recruit her and begin to assess the damage. Caramel, Candy Cane, go! Candy Cane, don't you _dare_ step foot out of the castle again until we have spoken. Do you understand me?"

"...Yes, mother," she grumbled. Another dismissive wave from Princess Candy, and she was led away by Caramel.

Candy looked down at her arms again. Without looking up, she asked, "Will this be permanent?"

"I'm... not sure. I'm not a scientist."

"Magic cannot heal this?"

"Not any I know."

"...Right. Fine then. Let's find this Flower Witch and start going through the damage. It didn't seem like a large explosion, and aside from these... side-effects, not much damage has been done. I should hope to find many survivors."

"If they were inside, I believe they would have been even safer," the Angel chimed in hopefully. Candy nodded, a blob of her scarlet hair falling onto the ground below. She pretended to ignore it.

-.-.-

"Well doctor? What's the prognosis?"

"It's grim, princess. Humans seem like they are the bulk of those affected, so it stands to reason that they are more easily mutated than candy people or other creatures." The princess slid off of the examination table and paced in front of the doctor, mouth a thin line. "But aside from that, it seems like you and the others will be fine! Several have merely transformed into candy, and some, like you, are now half candy."

He said it so simply. As if having your genetic structure altered was like getting a haircut.

Another glob of sticky hair fell off her head and stuck itself to her hospital gown. Candy chewed on her bottom lip. "And this was caused by that explosion in the city?"

"Yes, it seems so," the doctor said with a bob of his head.

"How many have come into the hospital so far?"

"Just over two hundred, and most of them were only halfway mutated, like you, princess."

"...Doctor, I'm going to ask you to keep this knowledge secret, at least for the moment. I'd like to handle it myself," she said flatly, glaring out the window. He nodded again. "It is a miracle that so few are dead, especially with how high the population was for the celebration. We cannot forget that. The rest of this... It's tragic, but we'll all survive."

"Yes. Mutations such as these have a very high survival rate," he agreed.

"What of that smog that's still hanging around? Does it have any dangerous effects? On anyone?" She whirled around, losing another chunk of her hair. At this rate, she'd be bald. She'd have to figure out some way to either keep it on her head or get it cut shorter and fixed so it'd stop falling whenever she moved.

"I-It's too early to tell, princess. So far, I don't believe so, but I'd like to advise everyone to stay away from it all the same. It's possible it could be connected to these widespread mutations."

"...Yes. Then warn all of the staff and your patients about its effects, but try not to cause a panic. I'll issue a statement asking the citizens to stay indoors for the time being. Thank you so much for your work, doctor," she said and stormed out. If she was fine, then she had duties to attend to, after all.

The first being her daughter.

It was a miracle Candy Cane had escaped the blast and side-effects, and she hoped it would continue to be that way. Chocolate's loss was still aching in her heart, but she had to maintain a strong facade. The Candy Kingdom was confused and scared and hurt, and they needed a strong leader to help them through that. Especially since they still hadn't figured out _who_ had placed the bomb in the city. The Gumball Guardians hadn't detected anything until it practically went off under their noses, and no guard at any of the gates had reported anything suspicious. Everyone who entered into the city had been a citizen of the kingdom or had been thoroughly checked.

Which meant they either had a very clever enemy, or a traitor. She still wasn't sure which she preferred.

She stepped outside, and after making nervously sure no one was in her immediate vicinity, she called out, "Gumball Guardians!" The color all around her leeched from the world as movement and time slowed, then stopped.

"_YES._" She allowed herself to be picked up, though she couldn't see the other one. She looked around wildly. "_MY BROTHER IS STILL RECOVERING. YES. IT WILL RESET._"

"It will be okay then?" she asked hopefully. She was swung over to where the second one was resting against one of the city walls, head bandaged. She let out a breath in a whoosh and pressed a hand to her heart; she hadn't known what she would've done if she had lost a Guardian. She needed both of them to maintain the shield and act as her warning and protection system.

"_WHAT IS IT YOU WANT. PRINCESS._"

"I've come to ask you about what happened yesterday. You didn't see anyone, sense anyone? No one tried to break in?"

"_NO._"

"Was it a magical explosion?"

"_YES. VERY MAGICAL. YES._"

"Then how many beings were in the royal city who could use magic?"

"_SEVENTY-FOUR._"

"Not counting any royal wizards, the Angel, or the Flower Witch."

"_SEVENTY-ONE._"

That was still a very high number, but it wasn't as high as she had feared. It didn't mean that any of them would have been the traitor, but it was possible, and it was a lead. Princess Candy tapped at her temple, thinking. She didn't have the manpower that was up and moving to be interviewing that many, but she didn't know how to narrow it down any further. There were still too many injured to take care of and repairs to be made, anyway. She hated it, but it may have to wait.

"Gumball Guardian, do you know where the Lich is right now?"

"_NEGATIVE. THE LICH IS FAR AWAY._"

That was a relief, and it potentially explained why Tartly and Mint hadn't returned yet. She made a note to call them back after she returned to the castle; the Lich, far away, wasn't an immediate threat. She needed magic at her disposal again. "Is the Lich really gaining power?"

"_YES. THE LICH IS FEASTING ON THE DEAD AND THE MAGIC STAINING THE AIR. ALL CREATURES OF POWERFUL MAGIC CANNOT HELP BUT FEED ON THE MAGIC STAINING THE AIR_," the Guardian said with a wave of its massive arm. "_BECAUSE OF THIS. MY BROTHER WILL SOON RECOVER. RESET._"

"Will you two be able to sustain the shield?"

"_YES._"

"Will _you_ be able to sustain it while your, uh, brother is recovering?"

"_YES. I CAN FEED OFF OF THE MAGIC STAINING THE AIR._"

"...Is that what all that gray haze is?" Princess Candy asked with a dawning realization. The Gumball Guardian nodded, shaking her. "Well—can you please eat it all up quickly? I don't want it near the citizens longer than it has to be."

"_YES. WE WILL TRY._" With that, behind her, the other Guardian spontaneously reset with a burst of color and energy that made the sticky hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Please release me now, and put the shield back up. I don't want any magical creatures entering or exiting for now, okay? And try to filter out all the magic in the air," she said, business-like once more.

She reappeared in the middle of the throne room, color and life around her once more. She watched out the window as the shield went back up over her beloved city. Candy Cane ran up to her, wrapping her arms around her skirts with a call of, "Mother! You're back! What did the doctor say?"

"He says I'm fine—everyone will be fine. I'm just a little closer to being Candy than I have ever wanted before," she said with a smile, leaning down and kissing her daughter on the forehead. "But you stay in the castle from now on, okay? Stick to the higher parts. I don't want you breathing in all that magic."

"Is that what that stuff is?"

"Yes. Now off to your room, young lady. Off!" Candy Cane whined, but retreated nonetheless. Once the door was shut behind her, Candy whirled around and barked, "Caramel!"

"Yes, your majesty?" He appeared at once, or maybe he had been by her side the entire time. It was difficult to tell.

She chewed on her bottom lip again. "Bring me the Peppermint Butler." She hadn't been prepared for this development, but she was well, her daughter was well, and her kingdom would recover. It always had.

She just hated the way her lip tasted like bubblegum now.


	3. Night Flowers

"Wh-Why is it you needed to speak to me, princess?" the Peppermint Butler asked in a wavering voice. "I am but a lowly butler—"

"I know you are deathless," Candy cut in brusquely, crossing her arms. He gave a start and backed up, suddenly looking significantly more nervous.

"H-How—what? That is crazy talk, my lady—"

"You're going to lie to your princess' face?"

With a barely-stifled groan, she could tell she had won. He had realized he was defeated. He tugged at his bow-tie and glanced uneasily at the corner of the room. "...Y-Yes, princess. I am deathless. But why do you wish to speak to me?"

"I won't ask how you came to cheat death, but I want you to do me a favor. I want you to speak to him for me."

"_What_?" he squawked, jumping a foot in the air. "Wh-Why not send another deathless one?" He gestured to the Angel behind her. "Ask her to go! Death would be more fond of her!"

"I am _not_ deathless," she replied, affronted.

"Yes you are," the Peppermint Butler retorted.

"I am not!"

"Silence!" Candy commanded and the room went perfectly quiet. "Peppermint Butler, I have come to ask you because I believe you are the best suited for this mission. If the Angel says she is not deathless, then she is not. You are the only one in my kingdom that I know for _sure_ is."

"What do you want me to speak to death about?" he sighed.

"Ask him—figure out why the Lich hates life, and why he becomes more powerful when those around him die. If he has some sort of agreement or way of cheating death, we have to know."

After the Peppermint Butler was sent on his way, the Angel took her leave as well. His words had unsettled her. She wasn't deathless; she was an Angel. Not that she knew why those were mutually exclusive, but it just... was. Wasn't it?

She felt a tug on her dress and turned in surprise to see Caramel. "Angel, madam, did you know anything about the Peppermint Butler?"

"No, I did not. I've never associated with him much before," she replied without much thought.

"...Are _you_ deathless as well?" She stiffened and tried not to turn from him.

"No. I am _not_. That implies a relationship with death, be it cheating or otherwise. I'm just an Angel." She didn't know why, but she felt a pang of guilt. Guilt and dread. "I'm sorry, but I must be going now." Without waiting for a response, she flew off, trying not to seem like she was in such a hurry.

But she was. Deathless was a curse, a cheat, a horrible gift. She _couldn't_ be deathless. She wasn't powerful, and she had never made a deal with death. She had never even met him. The Angel beat her wings hard against the evening sky, blinking past a stinging in her eyes that was odd. Her vision blurred, which only served to confuse her further.

A giant bubble flew up in front of her, nearly colliding with her. With a cry of alarm, she flailed in the air, just managing not to fly face-first into it. It floated up into the darkening sky, filled with gray. "Gray?" She followed it up, curious and grateful for the distraction. The weird stinging in her eyes gradually disappeared.

The bubble was nearly the size of herself, and the gray haze in it seemed much denser than it was towards the ground. It was filled with the magical smog. She circled it, wondering how it even came to be, when another one floated up and popped itself on her foot, splattering her legs with cool liquid. She shrieked and backpedaled, running into the first bubble and popping it, too. She shook her wings off, trying to dry them, and looked around for any more.

"_YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO POP THE ROYAL BUBBLES_." To her dismay and terror, one of the Gumball Guardians actually stood up from its post on the city wall. She had never seen them move before, and she hadn't even known they could speak.

"I-I'm sorry—"

"_THESE BUBBLES ARE IMPORTANT. YES. IMPORTANT._"

"They're filled with the smoke from the ground, aren't they?"

The giant Guardian blew another bubble, and she watched as it drew in the faint wisps of smoke from the nearby air, trapping it inside. "_IT IS OUR DUTY TO CLEANSE THE AIR OF THE MAGIC STAINING IT. IF YOU INTERFERE AGAIN. YOU WILL SUFFER A TRIAL._"

"Gumball Guardians!" Both jumped guiltily at the princess' shrill shout from the castle's direction. "Stop scaring the citizens and get back to guarding!"

The Angel fled before she was yelled at, too, as the Guardian seated itself back on the wall. As she passed it, she couldn't help but look down at it. She had never known them to be... Well, of course they had to be sentient. They guarded the city. But she hadn't seen either of them act it before.

_Whump_.

The Angel bounced off of the clear air in front of her, clutching her nose. "Wh-What? Was that the shield?" The Gumball Guardian didn't answer her and instead blew another large bubble. She flew at it again, more cautiously and with her arms outstretched, and she came across an invisible wall. It was smooth and slightly cooler than the air around it, and her hands buzzed with the magic coming off of it. "This is the city's shield. Why is it stopping me?"

Still no reply. Frustrated, the Angel followed it down to the wall, but it was solid the entire way. She flew in circles, trying to find some hole in it, unable to understand why she couldn't pass through it as she always did. She flew up to the very top, mindful of the bubbles rising with her, but it was a perfect dome without a flaw.

The bubbles could pass right through it, so why couldn't she?

She settled on the nearest gate and dove for it at nearly breakneck speed, frustrated and worried and there was something dark and oppressive in the back of her mind that she couldn't quite put a finger on. The guard jumped when she appeared before him in a flurry of feathers and white. "Who are you?"

"I'm—the Angel," she said breathlessly, finally settling on the ground delicately. The sun had fully set and it was getting to be quite dark, but she practically glowed in the night air. She had no problem stepping around a grayed puddle in front of her, and then did a little curtsey for the guard. "I'll be taking my leave of the city for the night."

"Are you a magician?"

"Um, yes. I suppose."

"You can't leave," he said gruffly, leaning his spear across the archway out. "No magic users in or out of the city. Royal orders."

Her heart sank. The _princess_ had been the one to order the shields up against her? It felt like a betrayal. Why had she done such a thing? Unless—she suspected the magic users. "But—I am one of Princess Candy's friends!" Only a slight stretch of the truth, at any rate.

"I'm sorry, but you can't pass." She scowled at him and eyed the doorway. "Don't think about it, miss. The shield is covering down here, too. Some witch bustled past me earlier and broke her nose walking into it."

Furious, the Angel turned on her heel and stalked off. She didn't live in the city; she had no place to return to, but she was not going to stand around in front of the guard and lament. The castle was usually open to her, but never because she had been locked in before, and after those accusations, she wasn't sure she wanted to be anywhere near the royals or the staff. And she couldn't even figure out _why_ it was so unsettling to be called deathless.

She didn't know many citizens of the royal city. Licorice and Candy were the closest things she had to friends there. She knew others, of course, but none of them well enough to stay with for the night. She didn't necessarily need to sleep. She just wanted the company and option if she needed or wanted to.

Without meaning to, she found herself on the stoop of the Flower Witch.

The Angel rubbed her arm, emotions still a mess. She didn't want to impose, especially when she had volunteered her for work she may not have wanted. Her stomach churned and she turned to leave, when all of a sudden, the door swung inward.

"Well? What d'ya want?" the Flower Witch asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"U-Um! I'm sorry—" She had no idea how the witch had even known she was out there, and that she had accidentally woken her up? That was even worse!

"Well, ya were thinkin' so loud out here, a'course it would wake me up! But I'm up. And ya look a fright." The Angel looked down at herself. Aside from a bit of mud on the hem of her dress, she looked the same as usual. "C'mon, c'mon. In before the warm escapes."

The Angel skittered in behind the old witch. Inside the little home, it was hot and humid, even without a fire going. She tugged at the sleeves of her dress. "Is it always so warm in here?"

"A'course. You expect a little old lady like myself to live in a freezing home? No! Flowers like it _warm_, doll-face." With a clap, a fire crackled to life in the fireplace, the only source of light aside from the weak moonlight from the sole window. The Flower Witch sat down on her bed, gesturing to a chair that had seen better days. The Angel hesitantly perched on the very edge of it, bending forward to allow room for her wings.

"I'm very sorry to intrude like this."

"Ya noticed the lock-down, huh?"

"Um, yes."

The Flower Witch reached back, tying her wispy hair back out of her eyes, and leaned forward to study the Angel. "Well, what did ya expect? Princess Candy is in a tizzy and it was a _magical_ blast that done changed her. I'm sure she won't be too trustin' of any magical folk for a long while."

"But—we've helped her! You and I—and others! She should, um... I don't know, but she should make some sort of allowance for trusted ones."

"And ya think you're trusted?" the Flower Witch asked with a cackle. The Angel pushed out her bottom lip in a pout; that couldn't be true. She was just being teased. Of course Princess Candy trusted her.

"Flower Witch, please don't—"

"Not anymore!" she snarled, cutting her off. Smoothing her raggedy dress over her knees, she added curtly, "Not anymore. I'm not the Flower Witch anymore, remember? It's Flora now."

"But you can still use your magic..."

"Yeah."

"And you still eat flowers. You still have flowers in your hair," the Angel pointed out, waving at the primroses tucked behind the witch's ears.

She tore them out irritably, though new ones soon sprouted in their place. "Bah! I just can't get them to die. It's a hazard in the job, not anything else!"

The Angel looked about the small abode, noting all of the plants and flowers. One wall seemed to be covered completely in some sort of creeping vine dotted with pretty little white ones. Fire flowers decorated the fireplace, burning and sizzling with the heat. The window, inside and out, had potted plants as close as it could be without breaking the glass. It sure didn't seem like flowers were a hazard in the job.

"...Ah, yes," she tentatively agreed. "...Flora. You... really think Princess Candy isn't going to trust magicians any more?"

"It'll certainly put a dent in her trust of us, yeah," the witch sniffed. "I ain't seen magical blood in the royal family for a couple of generations now, I figure it must've been bred outta them. Seems as if magic's breedin' itself outta most folks, these days. An' now that she's done and made herself into candy? I'm surprised we haven't been tossed in a dungeon somewhere."

The Angel fidgeted anxiously. "You said so yourself—it was a magical blast. She does have a reason to be suspicious..."

"Ya defendin' her now? _You're_ the one who wanted outta here!" She gave her a stern look, making her quail.

"I just don't want you badmouthing our princess."

"T'ain't no problem for me, just yet. I live here. I'll live here until I die. You're the one with the home on the outside, aren't ya? I'm retired, but thanks to your favor mongerin', I suppose I've appeared on the princess' radar, but even so, I'm not gonna be doin' a whole lot anymore. This is gonna be _your_ problem, doll-face."

"...Flow—Flora, may I ask you something?"

"...Sure," she grumbled unwillingly.

"You have lived a long time, haven't you?"

"A'course. Witches all do. Ya think I was just up and sprouted yesterday?"

"I was just wondering... Have you ever met another Angel before?"

"Another?" The Flower Witch tilted her head to one side, puzzled and frowning. "No, can't say I ever have. Just you."

"H-Have you _heard_ of other Angels before?"

"A'course, in ol' legends and rose tales my mama used to tell me when I was still half a seed," she said, tone slipping into something softer and fonder than it was normally. The Angel smiled at the sound. "Don't go thinkin' I'm a sap for lovin' my mama when I was little! All I ever heard about Angels was that they used to live up in the sky, in homes made of clouds. Used to be friends of the rainicorns, I heard."

"The rainicorns? They haven't lived here in—"

"These are _old_ tales!" she interrupted irritably, a couple flowers popping up on her shoulder. She plucked them and threw them at the Angel. "Ya come into my home, wake me up, and then make me go and sprout. By all rights, I should toss ya out on those fluffy wings of yours." She slid off the bed, pulling out more flowers, scattering them over the worn blanket and floor. "So it's getting late. Get in bed."

"Wha—?"

"I'm up, and I just remembered I have a couple of errands to run." She pulled on a ratty shawl and tucked the regrown flowers behind her ears. "Ya can sleep here tonight, Angel. Things'll be better tomorrow."

"But I don't want to impose, and—" She followed the witch to the door, only to get it slammed in her face. Rubbing her nose, she looked back at the bed. "But I don't sleep..."

"Try!" the Flower Witch, from the other side of the door, barked. The Angel jumped and skittered away, then crept over to the window. She watched as the witch listened for a moment longer, then shuffled off down the street until she was out of view. The Angel let out a breath.

That odd stinging, prickly sensation came back in her eyes. "Must be the heat," she mumbled and waved it out. It didn't help much, but hopefully the night would cool the small home with time. She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around the small room again. So many flowers and plants, and the rest of it looked quite aged. Aside from the flowers, she wondered how much care the house itself got.

Deathless. The word came back to her, unbidden, and the blurry vision returned.

"What's wrong with me?" she whispered into the darkness, pressing her palms against her eyes as she flopped back onto the bed. No one answered her. Eyes covered, she didn't see the figure peek in through the window at her.

When the Flower Witch returned with the dawn, the Angel was still in the same position, with the same weird feeling in her eyes. She had done a lot of thinking, none of it good.

"One thing I like about this town—no shortage of sugar to be found, even durin' a war," the old woman said, several sticks of candy poking out of her mouth. She offered a bag to the Angel, who only took a stick to be polite. It tasted like bitter chocolate and a little mint.

"I'm going to talk to Princess Candy today, about magic-users. We're not responsible for this..."

"Someone is," she replied through a mouthful of more candy.

"Well it wasn't a Candy Kingdom citizen!"

"_You're_ not a citizen."

"I—Flower Witch, you are very cruel sometimes!" The witch only cackled as she stormed out and took to the morning sky.


	4. Save Just One

"I am not deathless. I _am_ trusted," the Angel huffed, flapping around the city in agitation. She didn't have anywhere else to be, and try as she might, she still couldn't find a way to leave the city. She stopped by the hospital to ask if she could help with healing, but was turned away. She didn't wish to return to the castle just yet.

Deathless and not trusted and the only Angel. Anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach.

She had never wondered about other Angels before, but with magic users under suspicion, her mind wandered. It wasn't as if she had anything else to do but think. Everyone knew about Angels. But she was the only one she knew of, and the only one anyone had ever met. She'd heard no stories of them dying out, but in her younger days, she had scoured the clouds and the lands for signs of others. Wherever they were now, they weren't in the sky any longer.

"I'll... I'll just ask the princess about it. She knows about the land of Ooo," she decided and was secretly glad for a valid reason to finally return to the castle. The royal city was repairing itself already, but then again, there had been so little structural damage. The bubbles overhead had already lessened the gray haze considerably, too. It was already looking brighter and cheerier.

As she swooped past a stand selling crystal jewelry, she heard a faint cry. The Angel halted in the air and swiveled around, searching out the sound. It was weak and pitiful, like a kitten, or—a child. Her search took her down several dirty, dark alleyways. But finally, she found the source: a small child. She couldn't tell if it was human or candy or mutated, or even male or female. It was simply small, clothed in what appeared to be a soiled blanket, and had orange-tinted tears running down its cheeks.

It reached up for her with a sniffle, and she couldn't help but reel back at the melted stump of an arm on its left. At once, it noticed her reaction and drew back into itself with a painful cry. "O-Oh my, you poor dear..." She reached out for it, eyes scanning over the child with a sterner gaze. Bloody scrape along one cheek, missing an arm, unhealthy, thin—and then it coughed. Possibly diseased as well. The Angel knelt down, not caring if she stained her dress, and took the child into her lap to check its injuries with her magic.

They were extensive. It had definitely been caught in that blast, but had somehow escaped any and all medical help. It was highly likely that it had been malnourished before as well. Its ribcage was twisted and constricted its organs inside, and its missing arm was on the path to serious infection.

It was dying.

The Angel gasped when she realized it. Its injuries were grave, but she had been hopeful. When she noticed the blackness, though, she knew it was too late. She had seen it in other cases from all over Ooo in victims of various magical blasts. The child snuggled into her chest with soft crying sounds, though it had calmed significantly. It probably wasn't even aware of its fate.

"...Hey, it's okay," she murmured and stroked its stringy hair. "I'll take care of you." She wasn't going to leave it there to literally rot and die, miserable and alone. Cradling it in her arms and pressing her lips to its forehead, she vowed that she'd do everything she could to save it. Just because she was locked into the city, just because there were accusations and distrust, it didn't mean that she couldn't continue to help others.

-.-.-

The war. The Lich. The magic that was still being siphoned out of the city. Princess Candy was rapidly getting a headache, and no amount of chewing bubblegum was going to save her from it. "...Caramel, how has Candy Cane been doing?"

"Ah, well, as fine as always. She just misses you, princess," he said with a fidget.

"Her health—she's been okay, right? No side effects of being out yesterday?"

"You've had the doctor check her twice now. Don't you worry none, princess. Princess Candy Cane is just dandy," Caramel soothed. It did little to assuage her fears, but for the moment... It was better hearing it from someone else. Most of the population had stabilized since the Gumball Guardians were doing their job. The amount of humans left in the royal city was alarmingly low, however. Over half of them had been mutated either partially or fully into other sorts of creatures, and another small fraction had since succumbed to the sickness that came with it. It hadn't been a pleasant surprise to find out that the death had only been delayed.

It was still not as terrible as it could have been, and she was well aware of that fact. But it didn't change that _her_ citizens were dying now.

"How have you been adjusting?" she asked, turning to him with a weary expression. Another blob of red hair fell onto the floor near her foot.

"M-me? Well, I've been finer, truth be told. Not used to all this stickiness all 'round," Caramel said sheepishly, looking anywhere but at her. "But just fine, princess!"

"...I meant about Chocolate."

"I know." She waited him out, and after a lengthy pause, he mumbled, "I'm still getting used to that part. But I know he woulda wanted me to go on, so I am. Simple as that."

"I miss him." Candy looked back out the window at the late afternoon sky. The air was steadily getting clearer. "Peppermint Butler has not returned yet?"

"Not yet, princess."

"Nor Lady Mint or Tartly?"

"No, not yet."

No news was supposedly good news, but it just made the sticky hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It had been too long. Did she send out a search party? But they were magic users; they could flicker across the map as they pleased. Surely, if they were done, they would have returned... Which meant it all the more worrisome. It hadn't been that complicated of a mission.

She wasn't sure how long the Peppermint Butler would be, either. She didn't know anything about death or his lands, or what his relationship with the candy person was. He'd sounded nervous. Hopefully she would get her citizens back with plentiful information and nothing would go awry.

And hopefully she'd stop losing her hair. Another lock dribbled down the front of her top. Candy frowned, thinking about the troubles all over Ooo. The rainicorns and dogs were still fighting in the crystal dimension, which was both a blessing and a curse. It kept them busy and away from her, but there was valuable energy and allies lost without them. The enemy had begun using crystals from the Chamber of the Crystal Eye as energy, which meant she'd either have to find a new source or fight for control of the area. It was well within her lands, but it wouldn't be a clean or easy victory.

Yes, there was the headache she'd been dreading. With a groan, she pressed her fingers against her temples. "Caramel, I..." That was more than a passing dizzy spell. The world twisted and rocked around her, and suddenly, she was falling away from the window sill and the ground was rushing up to meet her.

-.-.-

"The princess has collapsed!"

"What?" The Angel froze, horrified at the news. The child still slept in her arms. She had arrived back at the castle to plead for more room to spare for it as well as medical treatment, since she couldn't do much more than superficial things. But she had arrived in one of the topmost windows to find the palace in an uproar, worried about the unconscious Candy and crying Candy Cane.

The swan bustled past with another nervous honk. A lady with taffy hair ran past in the opposite direction, arms full of red-stained blankets. The Angel stared after her.

Then, the child in her arms stirred. She jumped and flapped about for a moment, looking up and down the hall. A room, some place to put it where it can be safe. A bed, or a crib, or some place warm and comfortable. She flew down to a lower floor, to one of Candy Cane's extra rooms. Surely it wouldn't be missed for the night, until the commotion settled down and she could explain her situation.

She set the child in the slightly dusty bed; no amount of wiping or brushing could completely get it off. She had to wonder when the last time it had been used for anything was. The castle had so much space, and yet children like this were dying and left alone in the streets... The Angel tucked it in and kissed it on the forehead. It blearily opened its eyes with an incoherent mumble.

"Sleep, my child. I'll be back for you," she whispered and cast another sleep spell. She floated over and retrieved an old stuffed toy and set it gently beside it, though it was almost as large as the child was. It latched onto it with a sleepy sigh. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

She heard the cries long before she found them. "Mother! Mother _please_, wake up!"

"Candy Cane, please! She'll be alright, you just have to—ow!"

The Angel peeked shyly into the throne room. The royal doctor and several nurses, along with the younger princess and several of the staff, were all circled around what she assumed was Candy. All she could see was a foot peeking out. She flapped higher to better see, and was not the only one to do so; the swan from earlier and a pair of bats in chef uniforms fluttered above them as well.

Caramel finally detached Candy Cane from her mother and led her gently away. At once, only after getting a glimpse of Candy, the Angel swooped down to help calm her. "What's going on?"

"Mother collapsed!" Candy Cane declared with a great sniff.

"She's fine, you hear? The doctor only said her sugar levels were low."

"Do you know when the last time she had candy was?" As the Angel took the crying girl into her arms, one of the nurses came over and drew Caramel aside.

"Well, I'm not sure about that."

"Candy Cane, when was the last time you ate with your mother?" the Angel asked quietly.

"Today... At lunch," she mumbled into her sleeve.

"What did you have to eat?"

"Ham and green things."

"No sugar?" the nurse asked sharply. Candy Cane shook her head. "...Didn't _anyone_ explain to the princess that candy people need to regularly eat sugar?"

"She says she hasn't been craving it any more. Used to crave it like crazy when she was stressed before, but now, all I've seen is her chewin' on bubblegum," Caramel volunteered. "...Come to think of it, I haven't had any desire for eating anything sweet anymore, either."

"But you've been ingesting sugar regularly, right?"

"I've been having after dinner mints here and there when the kitchen staff ain't looking..."

"Doctor—"

"Yes, Nurse Cream. I'll issue a note to the hospital staff to advice the newly mutated to new diet restrictions. I can't believe we hadn't advised them ear—Princess!" Everyone gasped and took a step back to give her space as the princess finally sat up. Candy rubbed her head, but didn't seem too worse for wear. The Angel let out a relieved breath. "Princess Candy, when was the last time you had any sugar?"

"I haven't been wanting any lately..." she mumbled and ran her wrist across her eyes.

"Candy people don't have cravings for sweetness!" the doctor scolded. "No more than regular humans have cravings for regular food. But you're over sixty-six percent candy person, princess, and I must insist that you change your diet to accommodate this."

"I can't believe no one thought to warn all of the new candy people about this sort of thing," the nurse whispered self-consciously.

"That's okay," Candy Cane whispered back, making him jump. "Most people are born one thing or another, and don't change like this. Mother's alright now, right?"

"Y-Yes," he replied. "Just so long as she eats more candy, she'll be back on her feet in no time."

"I'll make sure she eats lots," the little girl said solemnly. She suddenly looked up at the Angel, nearly hitting her chin. "Angel, come on! Let's go cook something sugary for mother. A cake!"

"I don't know how to make a cake..."

"I do," Caramel said kindly. "I'll help you make a cake for the princess, and all the medical folk can get her sorted out. Boy, I sure do feel lucky that I've been taking those mints now..."

"You should eat some too!" Candy Cane said at once. She jumped out of the Angel's arms and began marching towards the kitchen, swinging her arms as she went. Caramel waved the nurse off and followed behind her with a cheery smile. The Angel floated after them at a slower pace. She was glad this had been nothing but a scare, she really was. She couldn't imagine the Candy Kingdom functioning without a reigning princess. She was glad Candy Cane seemed to be eating regularly again, but as a normal human, she'd have a different diet from her mother from then on. She sincerely hoped the staff realized that in their rush to make sure Candy was alright.

She found the pair in the kitchen along with several wide-eyed kitchen staff, unsure of how to take their quest to bake a cake. The Angel smiled at them, but they didn't seem too keen on her appearance, either. "...What kind of cake are we making?" she asked and floated over to them.

"One with pink frosting!" Candy Cane said excitedly, standing on a stool to reach the higher cabinets. She hadn't noticed it before, but it looked as if Caramel had shrunk some since his transformation into a candy person. The Angel wasn't sure if he was a partial one or a full one now, either.

"How about a chocolate one with pink frosting?" she suggested.

"Yes!" Candy Cane said with a gasp. "Yes, that one! Mother used to really like chocolate."

The Angel mostly stood back and watched, aside from fetching ingredients; after the tasteless soup, Candy Cane didn't seem to trust her around cooking. She didn't particularly mind and instead made sure to keep an eye on them both. The last thing anyone needed was the little girl or head of staff to get hurt in an accident. Her thoughts soon strayed towards the child she had found, however. What was she going to do with it?

The cake turned out alright, at best. It was a little burnt on the bottom and a little crooked and more than a little messy with the frosting on top, but it was cute, in a way. It was most certainly a labor of love. The young princess was proud of it, and even prouder when she got to carry it out into the throne room—just to find that her mother wasn't there anymore.

"Oh, princess—your mother retired to her room for the evening. Doctor's orders," the swan said gently, eyes on the cake. "Did you make that...?"

"Yeah..."

"C-Come on, princess! You can still bring it to your mother!" Caramel joined in.

"Yes! She could eat it in bed!" the Angel agreed. Candy Cane stared down at the cake in her hands. "...She could eat it for breakfast?"

"She probably wouldn't even like it," she mumbled sourly.

"Nonsense!" the swan honked and flapped his wings. "Princess Candy adores you, and she would _love_ that cake!"

"But she's not even here..."

"She's just in her room. I'll fly you there," the Angel suggested, holding out her arms to her.

Candy Cane maintained her frown. "What if she doesn't like it... She doesn't like candy anymore. She didn't even realize she could have gotten sick or something. What if she just keeps turning into candy? Will she die like the others?" Caramel jumped guiltily, and the Angel couldn't help but mirror his obvious thoughts; how had she found out about the rash of deaths across the city? She had been kept safely inside the castle, away from it. Candy Cane stomped her foot and shoved the cake into Caramel's arms, and he very narrowly avoided dropping it. "I'm going to talk to her about this. She can't keep just disregarding her health because she's busy!"

The Angel and Caramel exchanged a look. It was either incredibly mature or incredibly childish of her, and neither were quite sure which.

"But princess, your cake..." he tried weakly, holding it back out to her.

"I don't want her to eat it. I'll make her a better one tomorrow. It will be the best cake ever, and it will make sure she never collapses like that again. The most sugar ever!" she declared and stomped off. The three left in her wake could only stare after her.

"A young maiden's heart... I'll never understand their rapid changes," the swan said with a shake of his head. "You two know the princesses far better than I... But all of the castle staff are worried. If something like this were to happen again..."

"I'll make sure Candy gets her candy from now on," Caramel vowed with a salute. "And I'll keep myself in tip-top condition to do so. Angel, you keep an eye on Candy Cane."

"Me?" she asked blankly.

"You're good with kids. She likes you, and you don't have to follow Princess Candy around all day."

She thought of the child upstairs once more. "I... suppose I could stay for awhile. I'll have to speak to Princess Candy myself about the matter."

"Let them have their alone time for now," the swan advised and bustled off once more.

"Caramel..."

"Hm?"

"I have a favor to request of you."

She took him upstairs to show him the child—her child. He seemed horrified at first, though by its appearance or how she simply let another child into the castle without anyone's knowledge, she wasn't sure. "But—Angel, how d'you know that wasn't someone's kid?"

"There was no one around. It had just been left there, crying," she said primly, sitting herself on the edge of the bed. She smoothed back its green hair from its forehead. "Caramel, I know enough about magic to know a healthy body from an unhealthy one. This child hasn't eaten properly for days, well before the bomb went off. Just look at it... The poor thing."

"Exactly, look at it, Angel! You can't just be bringin' strays into here all the time. Princess Candy's hair is already falling out from all this!"

"This isn't the first time I've done this."

"But this is the first time you've wanted to _keep_ one. Just look—you don't know a thing about the tyke. No name or family or history, and it's hurt beyond your healin' capabilities, you said so yourself." She hadn't told him that the child was dying. He was a practical man, and she valued his opinion, but her heart wasn't going to be swayed. With all of the lives lost all around Ooo and the Candy Kingdom especially, if she could save just _one_ of the worse ones, she'd have hope for the rest. Who knew? Maybe she could come up with some sort of breakthrough.

"Caramel, please. You said so yourself—I am good with children. Princess Candy Cane is safe here, and so would this one. I can keep an eye on both of them without much trouble. Since I can't leave the city, I want to be able to do some good here."

"You can't leave the city?" he asked, clearly confused.

She sighed and avoided his gaze. She hadn't known that he was unaware of the situation. "I... No magic users can leave the city at this time. Royal orders."

He nodded at once, sympathetic to her plight. "Ah, that's terrible now... I'll see if I can't talk to the princess about this too."

"Concentrate on the child. If I'm here, I won't mind if I can keep it and help it. Help me sway her favor, just this once. This child is one of her citizens as well, no matter how sad of a state it's in."

"...Alright, Angel," he said with a heavy sigh. "It's getting late. I'll go alert some of the staff that the child is here, and tomorrow morning, we can tidy up a bit. Where have you been staying?"

"I'll stay with the child. We could share this room."

"There's plenty of room in the castle, you don't have to—"

"That's why I'd like to stay here! There's room here, and it's safe here, and that's why the children should be here!" she cried.

"I'll... let you stay with the child, then," he said meekly and shrank back. "It's getting late enough, and with all the excitement lately, Candy Cane should be put to bed soon. You can speak to Princess Candy then."

"Ah. Yes, I will..." She still had to win over the princess, but the Angel was confident. She was already confined to the city where her home lay elsewhere. If she could stay with the child and in sight of Candy Cane, then it would be better. Caramel left her, and she looked down at the little thing in the large bed. Its breathing was even, at least. Gathering up her magic, she ghosted her fingertips over its sleeping form once more. Little mends here and there, fixing what she could. The internal damage and the arm couldn't be fixed. She doubted even a great wizard like Licorice could have fixed that. Perhaps science could find some sort of cure, but until then, she'd trust in the power she had access to, however limited.

She kissed it goodnight once more. It murmured in its sleep. She really would have to find out if it was a little girl or boy, and soon, and a name if she could. It didn't appear to be able to speak properly, though she wasn't sure if that was due to its age or some other problem.

The Angel closed the door quietly behind her and floated down the hallway, thinking. She was worried about the princesses. Candy Cane seemed upset about her mother's change, and Candy herself wasn't dealing well with any of the war as of late. At least they were aware of the diet change now. It surely wouldn't be too difficult of a matter to ask to keep one small child in such a large palace, but even if it was... She would stay elsewhere. The shield would have to lift to magic users eventually. Perhaps she could stay another night or two with the Flower Witch.

"Where are _you_ going?" She jumped high enough in the air to hit her head on the ceiling. She recognized the voice, but she didn't process it until her eyes landed on him, staring up at her with a blankly surprised expression.

"Licorice!"


End file.
